Israel blames Arafat after arms seizure

By Ohad Gozani, in Jerusalem

12:00AM BST 09 May 2001

ISRAEL accused Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority yesterday of illegally trying to procure anti-aircraft missiles that could raise the stakes in the seven-month confrontation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The accusation followed the capture by the Israeli navy on Sunday of a fishing boat loaded with dozens of rockets and anti-aircraft missiles bound for Palestinian-ruled Gaza. The 30-ton vessel had set out from Lebanon and was intercepted after being spotted by Israeli planes.

Ariel Sharon, the Prime Minister, said: "This is a very dangerous development. We have been watching, for months already, attempts to smuggle weapons by the Palestinian Authority. That only emphasises the intentions of the authority. They are not allowed to have any weapons besides light arms for self defence."

He accused Mr Arafat and his government of violating signed agreements. He said the same boat had previously smuggled three shipments to Gaza. Since the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising last September Palestinians have used mainly small arms and mortars against Israeli forces.

They have responded with tanks and attack helicopters. Rear Adml Yedidia Yaari said the shipment was sent by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, based in Damascus. Explosives, mortars and Kalashnikov assault rifles were also found on the boat when it was seized off northern Israel, the navy said.

Saeb Erekat, a Palestinian peace negotiator, said in a radio interview that the authority had nothing to do with the arms and denied they were bound for it. Mr Sharon said Mr Arafat must order a "complete cessation" of hostilities before any moves could be made to revive Middle East peace talks.

He rejected a recommendation by an international commission chaired by George Mitchell, the former United States senator who played an important role in the Northern Ireland peace process, to freeze all settlements in occupied territory, saying expansion through "natural growth" would continue. He said: "What should a young couple on a settlement expecting a baby do, get an abortion?"

Palestinians have indicated that a freeze could help to end the uprising and the US State Department said yesterday that Israeli plans to put an extra £240 million into the settlements risked increasing tensions. A preliminary report by Mr Mitchell's five-man committee, set up to investigate the bloodshed, said it would be hard to achieve any real halt in violence unless the Israeli government "freezes all settlement construction activity".

It also called for a Palestinian curb on "terrorism". Yesterday Palestinian gunmen killed a Jewish settler and at least 19 Palestinians were hurt in fresh violence.